Fun with the faeries!

Last Saturday, Mom, Willow and I attended Faery Fest in Guelph, Ontario.  The weather was perfect, sunny and dry and we enjoyed our time with the fae folk before heading off to pick up my Folkmanis Brown Bat puppet at The Book Shelf Cafe on Quebec Street and then enjoying the University of Guelph's Arboretum. 

Tammi was showing her latest creations, including more examples of her adorable mushrooms, the perfect faery home decore accessory.  Her Lilac Grove always looks so welcoming and lush... 

I brought our collaboration "Spring Reunion" to add to her table and she centered it for all to see. 

The best part of any faery gathering is the people and that day was no exception.  Of course a little skull pendant found me, created by Elanne & Ivy, but Willow led us to our best encounter of the day. 

By a wishing pond she sought refuge from the sun and we met Tracy Kelly and her Creative Heart.  I had noticed Tracy earlier in the morning because she was costumed in the most beautiful dress, complimented by sparkling wings and the prettiest tiara.  Turns out she'd been to England and her attire came from there!  We had a really nice visit with her and very much appreciated her very magical story about taking time off and journeying, finding hearts wherever she went.  She's working on a book about it, featuring her photography.  (I was drawn to and took home a stunning asymetrical heart carved from sea sediment jasper with chalcopyrite, mostly orange with the most amazing colors rippling through it.) 

And we were happy to see The Twilight Zoo was represented, by a trio of white mushrooms!!  

Until you want me forever

Solstice Eve and the Black-Footed Ferret of my life

"...the time is now for all of us.  Your life is a work of art.  Living is a creative act.  We are all creating every day, in all kinds of ways--we merely forget to witness the resonance of our creations as the rhythms of life become regular.  Add in the typical responsibilities and distractions of modern life, and creativity starts to feel like a special, decadent dessert instead of our daily bread.  It happens gradually, quietly, as our choices become habits, and saving time starts taking precedence over saving our artistic inclinations.  Then suddenly, without warning or note, we are flatlining--living, but not alive.  This is not the kick-ass life we've glimpsed for ourselves in our most free and imaginative moments.  We can do better." 
--Mary Beth Maziarz from her book "Kick-Ass Creativity: an Energy Makeover for Artists, Explorers, and Creative Professionals

I'm reading Mary's book (yeah, me, reading) and found this passage to pinpoint my current position.  Creating has become a decadent dessert, taking time to create a guilty pleasure that I only do when EVERYTHING else is done.  Of course, that makes it RARE!   Much like the Black Footed Ferret, they still exist but whoa are they ever hard to find!  So, how to change this?  I'll keep reading...

In the meantime, HAPPY SOLSTICE!!

Into the dark woods

Yesterday we went to see "Snow White and the Huntsman", which was a treat, we rarely go to the cinema.  The movie was predictable, after all it is Snow White, but full of incredible treats, in particular the castle and Queen Ravenna's costumes.  Oh my gosh!  My chin nearly hit the floor when I realized her neckline was encircled by bird skulls on one incredible coutured creation!  Very fitting of her character, and so wow! 

Definitely the star of the show!  Bones, beetles, feathers, metal work, etc...  What imagination!

As for the rest of the film, if you want magic rent "Legend", with Tim Curry.  In "Snow White...", all the critters are computer generated and are not terribly convincing... I wish they'd reworked the White Stag, who certainly deserved better.  And why computer generate bunnies when they're so easy to be had?  Ah well, go see it for the costumes and the castle, and the bridge creature who was quite lovely, all stone and roots and moss.  And Queen Ravenna's back story added dimension to her character. 




These images are from this site.

Giving too much away?

Well, I probably would...

And this just belongs on a t-shirt!


These were fished off of Facebook; I have like-minded friends!

How do people manage to keep up with their email, Facebook, blogs, tweets, work, home life, social life, etc...?  I'm at a loss to figure it out, and I find myself constantly lagging behind.  I really am an organized person, I don't take part in many clubs or committees, I have no human children, so I SHOULD have time to do everything and yet at the end of the day I'm still trailing.  It seems like some folks are constantly logged in and on, how can that be?  And when's the last time you sat down and read a novel?  Me?  Last summer! 
  So, how do you manage?  What's your secret? 

  We put in the garden yesterday, mostly perennials, and today I got to work on some bat heads, 4 of them.  And, when I find the TIME, I'm going to bake some bread (provided it's not a killer hot day).  Batty bread, from a recipe printed in the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of Bat World's magazine.  Click on the image above for a larger view, looks good!  And when you share it, be sure to mention that the production of all the ingredients is dependent on bats!

Too good to eat!

Has someone ever done something so nice for you, so utterly unexpected, that it makes you pause and wonder?  Maybe there's hope for humankind after all?   I had such a moment this week, when I received in the mail a small packet.  Inside the packet were a number of tasty morsels but none compares to this incredible gift:  a postcard featuring a Krampus cookie being eaten by 2 rats!  (Okay, maybe you think they are mice but I know they're rats!)  

Wow!  Since I recently "discovered" Krampus (thanks again Eric!) I have been in love with him!  And you know I love rats!  So perhaps you can imagine how happy this card makes me!  (I also love baking cookies, so there!)  

Here's a closeup of the rats.

Thank you, Rose, from the very bottom of my inky, pessimistic heart to the very tips of my imagination and inspiration!  You are a wonder!

I hope to make you feel at least a bit of this happy very soon!

And thank you to the Hallowe'en Queen herself, Pamela Apkarian-Russell, for guiding this card into Rose's hands.  It couldn't be appreciated more!